asked the Minister for Local Government if he will ensure that local authorities in the allocation of new houses, give preference to national ex-servicemen.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Allocation of Local Authority Houses.
The Housing Acts provide a series of preferences intended to ensure that tenancies of local authority dwellings will, as far as is practicable, be granted to families whose needs are greatest. A departure from this principle is not contemplated.
In view of the fact that these unfortunate soldiers who served five and six years in the National Army have got out of touch with political pull and find themselves, as Deputy O'Leary said last week, nobody's darlings, could something not be done for them?
Even if what the Deputy suggests in this question were admitted to be desirable, it is administratively impossible to after the regulations so as to cover the people he has in mind.
All other things being equal, could they not get preference?
I have stated that the letting regulations merely cover what is laid down in the Housing Acts, and, without amendment of these, what is suggested by the Deputy could not be achieved by administrative action alone.
Why not let us amend the Acts?
We have an amending Act every two years and it is not doing too badly.